One Piece: Rewritten!
by typin.beat
Summary: Mitarashi Ringo, known as the "Apple Dancer" to the world because of her wanted poster, is the unanimous vice captain of the Strawhat Crew, as she was with Luffy on his first voyage. Will the readers be satisfied if Luffy had Ringo as a vice captain?
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: For those who haven't read or watched Eiichiro Oda's One Piece, I'd recommend you to at least reach the Thriller Bark Arc or the War of the Best Arc, for this chapter contains spoilers.**

**You've been warned.**

**[But then, what's the sense of putting this warning? =w= Paranoid me.]**

(~=w=)~ ~(=w=~)

Reminiscences! I'm Going to Become a Vice-Captain!

"_Oh? What is it?" Garp asked as he heard a ruckus behind him._

"_It's the bounty head, the Pirate Hunter Zoro," said Garp's right-hand man._

"_Oh? Luffy's nakama, right? He seems to be tough," Garp remarked. "Heh, you two, try and stop him!"_

"_Yes sir!" said two voices outside the building, then started running toward Zoro. Wait, where did Ringo hear those voices before?_

_The long-haired person twirled his pair of kukuri knives and jumped to Zoro, who was currently fending off Marine soldiers._

_Zoro blocked the person's attack._

"_A kukuri knife, huh," Zoro said, grinning his manic grin again. "That's an unusual weapon."_

_Then long-hair started attacking in a barrage, leaving Zoro in defense._

"_Oi, Zoro, wait!" Luffy started shouting as he ran to him. "There's no reason to fi-"_

_But the other person with the pink hair appeared in front of Luffy and inflicted an upward kick._

"_What the...! Why you!" Luffy said in surprise._

_He prepared to punch the unknown assailant, but he seemed to sense it._

"_Soru," the assailant said, and he disappeared when Luffy attacked._

_Ringo became alert, because that disappearing act was all-too familiar to every one of them, along with Luffy._

"_This technique..." Luffy remarked. Then he stood still, the assailant appearing behind him._

_He never got the chance to attack because Luffy grabbed him by the collar._

_Luffy got Pink Hair's neck wrapped around his hand, while Zoro has Long Hair between his swords._

_But the trouble didn't end at that, because another Marine appeared between Luffy and Zoro. His knee was raised, and he was about to twirl, saying "Rankyaku" in the process._

_Ringo wasted no time in running in the battlefield when the other trouble appeared, then axe-kicked the outstretched knee down, following it with a kick on the chest._

_The last trouble was grinning, his eyes hidden in the shadows of his Marine cap. Ringo jumped at him after avoiding the poorly-aimed technique._

_He's now pinned down to the ground with Ringo sitting on his chest, her foot outstretched to each of his elbows, and her fist poised to punch him unconscious if he does any sudden moves._

"_Ensign! Sergeant Major! Sergeant!" the Marines shouted at their fellow Marines._

_Garp started laughing while he walked to them. "You guys don't stand a chance, huh?"_

"_You really are strong… Just as I expected!" Luffy's assailant said, with a frail, "I've completely lost…"_

_Luffy and Zoro then let the attackers stand up._

"_Luffy-san, Zoro-san, Ringo-san, it's been a long time. Do you recognize me?"_

"_Who are you?" Luffy asked._

"_It's me! Coby!" Coby introduced. "Don't you remember me?"_

"_Coby?" Luffy asked in his innocent way. "Coby? I've got a name with that name but… I only know that smaller Coby."_

"_I'm that Coby!" he insisted. "The crybaby that couldn't do anything; that's me."_

"_No way!" Luffy said in shock._

"_You're _that _Coby?" Zoro asked. "Why're you here, in the Grand Line?"_

"_I'm not used to my position yet, but I heard the two of you were here!" Coby said. Luffy's jaws were still wide open at the shock. I just had to come see you!"_

_Then Coby did the Marine salute. "After all, iif it weren't for you three, we wouldn't be here!"_

_Helmeppo, the knife guy, crossed his arms. "Hmph, well not really, but I'll let it pass."_

"_It's a long story, but right now we're being trained by Vice-Admiral Garp in the HQs!" Coby said._

"_I see!" Luffy said, not really seeing. "But you've changed a lot, wow! You used to be pudgy and all."_

_Then Luffy wrapped his arm around Coby's neck with joy. "Ringo! Coby's here! Let's go have a party with him!"_

"_Hey, wait, all of you!" Helmeppo shouted, crying because no one noticed him. "Don't you recognize me?"_

_But his cries were ignored as Luffy and his crew saw Ringo, whose body was now shaking, unable to contain her tears._

"_Geez, Ringo," the other Marine with the cap said as he rubbed his nape in embarrassment. "You just saw me, and now you're crying."_

_Ringo looked at him finally. Her eyes were filled with rage as she swiped his hat and threw it at his face. "What's the meaning of this, you traitor?"_

_The 'traitor' removed his hat from his face and looked at Ringo seriously. "Is that how you greet your brother, Ringo?"_

"_Whaaaaaaaaat?" every Marine (except for Garp and his right-hand man) and crew shouted. "You have a sibliiiiiiiiiiiing?"_

* * *

That scene replayed on Mitarashi Ringo, the Strawhat Crew's unanimous Vice-Captain (as she was with Luffy on his first voyage in being the Pirate King) as she watched a Marine ship tensely while it cruised kilometres beside them. It was a good thing that she switched the lights off the crow's nest.

"Ringo-kyuuuuuuuuuun~!" Sanji shouted as he twirled to Ringo, which resulted in him getting an upside punch.

"Shut up!" she whispered harshly and ducked as a Marine patrolling the Marine ship's premise. She then let out a sigh of relief as the Marine ship cruised farther in the dead of the night behind Thousand Sunny.

She then looked at Sanji, who stood up immediately, heart-shaped eyes still stayed on his face. "Ringo-kyun, dinner is seeeeeeerved~!"

"Well then, let's go before Luffy eats the whole meal," Ringo said then grinned.

Sanji then snapped at hearing Luffy's name, running back to the dining room. "That bastard, he'd better not!"

Ringo grinned as she followed Sanji to the dining room.

It was always chaotic in there, with someone stretching his arms at the others' dishes while the others complain or compete with Luffy. Today, Sanji is nudging his foot while complaining at the food Luffy overstuffed in his mouth, and now he can't shut his mouth.

Well, it can't be helped. It's their first dinner in Sunny-gou.

"_Otsukaresama, Apple-chan,_" Robin said as Ringo entered, referring to Ringo's Wanted poster. Her bounty consists of 240,000,000 berries.

"Thanks," Ringo said as she took her place beside Franky and helped herself with her food.

"Ringo," Chopper, who was on the other side of her, said as he poked her's shoulder. "Why is that your _onii-chan_ is a Marine while you're a pirate?"

That question brought silence in the dining table.

Luffy swallowed the food he stuffed and burped. "Yeah," he agreed at Chopper's question. "You never told me anything about your family when we were in Windmill Village."

"You never asked," Ringo said simply. "Anyway, we were separated when my island was burned into flames by the Marines, and after that, we had no way of communication. I was taken in by Shanks after that, and then he left me in your village, because I was still a child at that time."

"But why would Ron-kun join them if he knows that they're the ones who destroyed your island?" Nami asked.

Ringo took a sip of her soup then brightened. "This soup taste good!" she complimented.

"Yeah, it does!" Luffy agreed, and then put his platter up. "Seconds, please!"

"I was asking a question here!" Nami said, exasperated.

Zoro saw Sanji sulk behind him. "Ahhh~… Nami-swan's heart was taken away by Ringo-kyun's brother… ahhhh…"

Zoro snickered. "Well, Nami never liked you, so you should give up-"

Sanji lashed a kick at Zoro, who blocked it with his katana. "Who would give up on Nami-swan, you shitty Marimo?"

"What was that, you dumbass cook?"

Then chaos came back, with the two guys fighting, Luffy stealing Zoro's meal and the others, and Usopp, Chopper and Franky defending their food.

Nami did a facepalm while she sighed wearily. "These guys…"

Robin giggled. "But don't you find it curious on how Apple-chan avoided the question?"

_If you think about it… _Nami thought as she looked at the seat on where Ringo occupied it before she went out.

* * *

"Oi. Your watch ended before dinner."

Zoro sat beside Ringo. They were on the roof of the crow's nest. Ringo's head was on her arms while hugging her knees.

It was a fine night, with the stars twinkling brightly above them.

"This is now my permanent place," she said childishly, her voice muffled. "Got a problem with that?"

"No, if you put it that way," Zoro said, slightly irritated.

He gazed at the horizon while the silence engulfed them, with the disturbance of the occasional breeze.

"I thought you were Luffy's cousin or something when I saw you two for the first time," he said.

"More like a guardian, maybe," Ringo replied, her head now raised. Then she laughed. "You know how he can cause trouble."

"But you never stopped him."

"How can I? He's the captain, and he incapable of making logical decisions. He needs me in that department."

Zoro remembers those time when he joined Luffy and Ringo at their voyage. She would slap Luffy's outstretched hand at their only food and water, and then she would suggest on getting his own food. A monster would appear, and she would cook its meat when they reach an island.

Another silence befell the two.

"So..." Zoro said, breaking it moments later. "About your brother..."

Ringo smiled slyly at him. "Ohoho, so you're interested in my past?"

"Nah, I wanna know more about you and your brother. You two are formidable people that I would like to fight, other than Mihawk and Luffy."

_He forgot to mention Sanji, _Ringo thought. "But that comes with a price, you know."

"What's that?"

Ringo grinned. "You tell mine and I tell yours."

"W-what?" Zoro shouted, his cheeks going slightly red. "T-that's ridiculous!"

Ringo laid down and showed her back at him. "Ah well. I guess this is good night, then."

"F-fine!" he said. "But don't laugh at me!"

He then told her about Koshiro's dojo, on how he lost to his daughter, Kuina, on how he constantly sparred with her when he became a student in there, and on how he vowed to her that he would be the world's greatest swordsman and his name would reach the heavens.

He laughed gently after that. "It sounds childish, I know, but I made a vow, and I'm not backing up on it."

He looked at Ringo, and he was surprised that Ringo was bawling while biting a handkerchief.

"Ohhhh... The sweet dramaaaa..."

"You're soundling like Franky, oi!" he shouted.

She stopped bawling then wiped the tears off her eyes. "Sorry, I couldn't stop." She sniffed. "It may be childish, but now I know the reason behind that oath you made when we were about to enter the Grand Line." Then she grinned. "She must be a valuable friend if you're insistent in going with your promise."

Zoro made a distant look. "Yeah. She was."

Ringo then laid down and turned her back on him again. "Well, I'm kind of sleepy, so-"

"YOU MADE A PROMISE, OI!" Zoro said in exasperation.

Ringo sat up while laughing. "Geez, I was joking!" Then it was her turn to have a distant look. "It's my turn to say mine, right?"

Then she started with Apple Island, Ringo's island, being far away from Goa Kingdom, where Luffy's village is located.

* * *

Apple Island. As its name says, it's an island with the shape of an apple.

People living in that island have simple lives. Fathers may be fishermen or farmers. Mothers may be teachers or tailors. The old may be vendors or historians. The children may be students or they may be enjoying their lives with their friends and their adventures.

But the fact that everyone knows each other in here and they respect each other is enough for them to live on. It is also enough for Apple Island to prosper.

But a certain Marine Petty Officer is irritated at the silence.

"Damn it!" Marine Petty Officer Pelomappa said as he slammed his fists on his desk. "It's too quiet in here!"

He paced in his office then faced a window on his right. He can see the residences in that window, for the island is fairly small but wide. And, as always, he's shooting bullets at that house by the far end of the island, on where the apple's stem could be seen.

"That bastard..." he said between clenched teeth. "He was a member of Gold Roger's pirate crew, for sakes unknown, and he doesn't make a damn commotion!"

He paced in his room again. If he had a carpet, it would wear out for his constant pacing.

Moments later, a someone knocked on his door.

"Come in!" he shouted.

A soldier came in and saluted. "Sir! It's time for the afternoon patrols, sir!"

"Good!" he said. "Assemble the soldiers! I'll be down in a moment!"

"Yes, sir!" the soldier said then closed the door.

Pelomappa paced another good minute then shouted again.

"Damn it! I have nothing to do! I need that patrol now!" he shouted.

The room become quiet.

"Oh, right. It's time for the afternoon patrols. Better assemble the soldiers," he said and slammed the door after getting out.

Meanwhile, eight-year-old Ringo was sitting on her favorite place, the end of the stem. She was happily enjoying the sea breeze while she looked at the horizon.

She then stood up, and inhaled.

"I'M GOING TO BE A PIRATE!" she shouted.

There was no echo to be heard, but she was satisfied that that oath was just between her and her beloved sea.

"A pirate is never caught defenseless, you know."

Then her brother, an about-to-be-nine Ron, caught her in a mock headlock and rubbed his fist on his sister's head.

"She what I mean?" he said as he grinned.

"Buh- Let go of me!" she shouted as she tried to kick his brother away, but he jumped away, aware that she's serious.

"You eavesdropper!" she accused him. "Are you looking for a fight?"

Ron sighed wearily. "Geez, Ringo. That's what you ever say when I kid around. Don't you know any humor?"

Ringo was offended. "I-I do, you know! I-i-it's just that you caught me doing something stupid..."

"Stupid? What's stupid about shouting your dream? You've always wanted to be a Vice-Captain in a pirate crew, right? Just like the 'Dark King', Silvers Rayleigh."

"Yeah. And yours was to be as a great Marine as 'The Hero of the Marines', Garp the Fist."

"But really," he said as he looked at his sister. "Why don't you want to be a Captain of your own crew? Wouldn't that be more fun?" Then he smiled as he threw a fist at his sister. "Then you'll be, like, Gol D. Roger and I'll be like Garp the Fist, then I'll be the only one capable of hunting you down!"

Ringo tilted her head. "But I'm not as straightforward and careless as a captain."

"Not every captain is as straightforward and careless as you think!" her brother shouted, snapping his hand.

"But then, did you hear in Papa's stories the greatness of serving someone with a D. as their middle name?" Ringo asked Ron.

"Not really, except that you're typically going to be the captain if you serve someone with a D."

Ringo pouted. "Then you don't see it."

"I certainly don't."

"Anyway, I'll make sure that I'm going to serve a captain with a D. as the middle name!"

"Aren't you being choosy?" Ron said wearily as he snapped his hand again.

"Ringo! Ron!"

They looked at their house and saw their father, Randall, wiping a dish.

Randall was a former apprentice in Gol D. Roger's ship, the Oro Jackson. While he was there, he created a name for himself as "The Martial Art Master" Randall.

After Gol D. Roger's reign in the seas, he took his voyage as a pirate, but when he landed in Apple Island, he never got back in being a pirate, because he fell in love with Ringo and Ron's mother, the "Apple Dancer" Rai.

But Ringo never got to meet her mother, because she died while giving birth to her.

"Come in here! I made apple pies!"

"Apple pies!" Ringo shouted with glee as she excitedly ran to their house.

"Geez, Ringo. How are you going to be a vice-captain if you're this childish?" he muttered to himself as he walked to their house.

~(=w=~) (~=w=)~

**Notes of the Author**

Yay, my first fan fiction! xD I'm so happy I have found the courage to get them out of my head.

Anyways, I don't really know what to put in here, except for an apology.

Yes, I'm very sorry that I had to start with this like this [watchusay?]. I haven't proved to you guys on how Ringo got her bounty, and bounties are supposed to tell you on how strong a person is. Maybe at another time.

And, if you were having some hunches regarding on where in the series Ringo's gonna appear, and if you've guessed that, "It's gonna be in the Thriller Bark Arc!", then you've guessed right! xD

After Ringo's told Zoro her past, they would proceed on meeting your favorite skeleton and musician!

And why would I start with that Arc? Isn't that too far?

=w= That's because Zoro was sooooo cool in there! xD Who wouldn't agree?

Anyways, I'd be happy to read or answer your reviews, or correct my mistakes in this chapter, but please don't be mad. That would make me emo-ish, and I'd sue you for killing me, but then, I'll take an arrow to the knee of that ever happens. xD

But seriously, don't hate me, just break it to me gently. Please?

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, and Ringo, her family and her past are my OC[reation]s.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Eiichiro Oda's One Piece. The Mitarashis [and Pelomappa, regrettably] are my OCreations.**

(~=w=)~ ~(=w=~)

Reminiscences! The "Martial Arts Master" and "Red-Hair"!

Randall, while cooking his family's lunch, glanced at the window. There he saw his children having a swordfight. He sighed. He was glad that their swords were short, but the increasing cuts and bruises that Ringo were having are making Ron's reassurances to him that Ringo will be fine diminishes.

He was always against having a family, as he was a pirate, and always will be. Well, maybe in the eyes of Pelomappa. And with him is the force of the Marines that he can always command at his wish. And the World Government.

Yet Rai, his lovely Rai, won't let him do as he pleases. "C'mon, Rand. Man up. We're both wanted… persons of the Marines, and we can always pass on to our kids the arts we've mastered. And we'll be together. As man and wife. With our kids. Forever." Oh, those tempting words. Those gave him a glimmer of hope that he would really have a peaceful life, with his wife and kids, the past forgotten.

But when Rai passed away, the hope that she has given him started to fade away. Every time Pelomappa visit his house makes him jumpy, and that scene on when he'd take his children away from him and let them watch his execution would always replay in his mind as he talked with the Marine Petty Officer.

He taught the two every art he knew and Rai shared with him, and as she requested, he taught Ringo Rai's _"Ringo no Mai"_, on where Rai got her nickname. He also tried teaching Ron that art, but, like him, he didn't understand the principle behind it.

As he anticipated, the two excelled in their arts, but he knows that it wasn't enough. With experience comes strength, and they do have the determination to pursue their dreams, but they're still inexperienced, and even they know it.

So he was grateful that his old friend, 'Red Hair' Shanks, said he would like to visit him, talk about the good ol' days, and meet his family, because he was settling by a village somewhere here in East Blue.

He would ask Shanks if he could take his children away from here, far away, and maybe he'd ask him if he could take Ringo as an apprentice, and they would drop Ron in a bigger Marine outpost so he could be one of them. Then he could die happy. Alone, but happy, knowing that his children are pursuing their dreams.

It's not that he's eager to get them away from here. He loved them with his life, and he would miss them dearly when they're taken away.

"Hahahahahaha!"

He snapped back to reality and saw that Ringo's got Ron's throat at the tip of her sword. Ringo threw her sword away and jumped up and down gleefully.

"Yatta-ze!" she cheered. "I finally beat you in your own game!"

Then she collapsed. Randall sighed as Ron panicked outside. He's happy for Ringo that she finally won over Ron in a swordfight, but she has strained her body to its limits, and her stamina is incomparable at Ron's.

"Tou-chan! Tou-chan!"Ron panicked as he rushed inside the kitchen, carrying Ringo on his back. "Ringo, she…!"

Ringo snorted wanly. "What kind of Marine are you if you're panicking? Weren't you supposed to know first aid?"

"S-shut up, this isn't about being a Marine."

"Ron, did you just promise me that the fight will not reach to this?" Randall asked wearily as Ron placed Ringo by the couch, and then rushed to get the first aid kit.

"Papa!" Ringo said incredulously then pouted. "You do know that I don't like you making promises like that with nii-chan."

"But Ringo…" Randall tried to explain, but she cut him off.

"No excuses," she said firmly. "No more promises, promise?"

"Geez, Ringo," Ron said as he opened the kit by Ringo's feet. "You just contradicted yourself."

"Shut up, smart mouth," Ringo retorted.

Ron then pressed the alcohol-dipped cotton ball on Ringo's cut.

"OWWWWWW! IT STINGS! IT STINGS!" Ringo shouted.

Randall stifled a laugh. That was how Rai treated him when he has minor injuries.

After teaching Ron on how to wrap bandages, Randall prepared their lunch in the dining table and they started eating. He laughed as Ringo attempted to steal food from Ron [still believing that it's how pirates behave], but Ron merely slapped her hand away.

She pouted. "Stingy Ron."

"Why would I be stingy by protecting my food?" he said as he ate a spoonful of curry. "And should you be protecting yours?"

Ringo raised a brow, but then it became clear as she looked at her plate.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" she retaliated as she realized that Ron had already swiped few spoonfuls away from her plate.

Ringo then took her spoon, and the fight was on.

It's not that Randall need to worry about the two's table manners. He'd taught them before Ringo was older enough to understand his apprentice pirate voyage. And that's when their table etiquette took a turn.

But they promised him that it won't be a permanent one. He just agreed. He knew that Ron always wanted to be a Marine, but maybe he's competing with Ringo for showing his brotherly love, and as a fulfilment to his promise to Rai when she was dying.

"_Ron… Can you watch Ringo for me? So tou-chan_ _can have someone watching with him."_

And he didn't understand why Rai wanted Ringo to be closely watched.

"_Remember…? When we'd fight… You'd tell me after that you'd feel… something… black…"_

_Something black… _Randall thought as he waited for Ron and Ringo come back from buying groceries, praying for their safety.

* * *

"I wonder why Papa made us buy too much amount of groceries today?" Ringo asked Ron.

"I dunno. He'll tell us later," Ron answered while paying for the huge Sea King meat. Ron slung the front part on his shoulder with paper bags occupying the other arm, while Ringo carried the back part with both her hands, then they walked to the next stand.

"How can you be so sure that he'll tell us?" Ringo asked.

"Because he always do that."

"Hmm. Good point."

Ron stopped in front of the greengrocer.

"Ringo, carry the meat for a while," Ron said.

"Wait a minute," Ringo replied, then moved to the middle part of the meat. "You can let go now."

Ron did, and Ringo was left in a squat.

"Ah, the Mitarashi siblings," the old lady selling vegetables said with a smile. "Are you going to pick up the ingredients your father ordered this morning?"

"Yes, please," Ron said, giving the old lady the amount of bellies needed.

"Are you sure to be leaving Ringo with that heavy-looking meat?" the old lady asked, concerned at the eight-year-old.

Ringo grinned. "Don't worry, baa-chan! I'm stronger than nii-chan!"

"Says the one who can barely stand," says Ron.

"Shut up!"

The old lady giggled. "What strange children." Then she produced an apple, and threw it to Ringo, who caught it with her teeth, then gave another one to Ron. "Here, the apples are ready for harvest today. Your mother loved them when newly-picked."

Ron smiled. "Thank you!"

"Twenchwyu, bwaa-chwyan!" Ringo said.

"You're welcome," the old lady said.

"OOOOOI! WHAT'S THIS HUGE MEAT DOING, BLOCKING MY WAY?"

Ringo turned a ninety-degree, almost hitting Pelomappa.

"Uwoi! Shwombodwie's cawrryingf thwis hwuge mweat, y'nyow!"

Ron held Ringo's apple and she quickly took a bite before he took it away.

"You!" Pelomappa said. "You two! Aren't you two the ones occupying that house far away from here?"

"With our father, yes," Ron said. "Are there any problems, Marine Officer?"

Pelomappa thought deeply. "Hmm. According to your statement, there's only three of you in that house." Then he pointed at the meat exasperately. "Then WHY ARE YOU BUYING THIS HUGE MEAT WHEN THERE'S ONLY THREE OF YOU LIVING IN THERE? AND WHERE THE HELL DID THIS MEAT EVEN COME FROM?"

"Ain't he an observant soldier, for someone as stupid as him," Ringo muttered. She got a punch on the upside of the head for that.

"Well, about that, Pelomappa-san," a man started. "A Sea King had lost his way in our waters, and Randall-sansaved the fishermen from it."

"That man Randall must be strong," Pelomappa said looking pointedly at the siblings.

"No wonder," Ringo said. "I wouldn't be carrying this meat if he wasn't strong."

An awkward silence arose.

"Geez, Ringo," Ron said, looking at his sister. "What's the connection between tou-san's strength and you carrying the meat?"

"He's strong, so it would be obvious that I'm strong too."

_I wasn't looking for that answer! _Pelomappa seethed inside. _I wanted you to tell everyone that your fatheris a pirate!_

"Anyway, Marine Officer, if you don't have any business with us, we'll be on our way," Ron said.

He and Ringo turned away, and this time, Pelomappa was hit by the meat. He flew to a flower stand.

"Pelomappa-san!" a Marine said as his patrol team ran to him.

"Those kids..." he seethed, then shouted at the two. "What the heck are you doing, hitting me like that?"

The siblings glared at Pelomappa, who flinched in intimidation. "What?"

"N-nothing! Nothing. Move on, move on."

The siblings obliged.

* * *

"Really? Really really really, really?" Ringo asked gleefully.

"Yes, and he said that he's on his way, so I guess he'll be here in 2-3 days," Randall said, then chopped the huge meat into little cubes.

Ringo hugged her brother in joy. "Yay~! Shanks is going to visit us with his crew!"

Ron just couldn't believe that _that _"Red-Hair" Shanks was going to visit them. He's always passed off his father's adventures as fantasies, and stories that he plants in Ringo's head so that she can think of pirates having weird attitudes, like stealing food from fellow nakama. And he never saw Randall's wanted poster when he sneaks in the Marine outpost [because Pelomappa's keeping it in his bedroom, using it as target practice for his irritation].

"B-but then, if they really come here," he said, resulting in a punch on the upside by Ringo, who firmly believes her father's words. "How about Pelomappa and the Marines?"

"Well, his ship can attract attention according to the model he wrote, but then, we can tell him that it's a cargo ship from another island."

"But what about their Jolly Roger?" Ron asked, not believing his father's explanation one bit.

Randal patted his son's head and smiled. "Don't worry, Ron. I got it all covered."

That, Ron believed, because Randall always had everything covered. When their mother was still alive, she would beat tou-chan in a pulp, because the vendors would only give them the ingredients and ask for payment, like what happened today.

_"I'm capable of buying the family's groceries, you know!" _she would shout when Randall's on the ground, waving a white flag.

That's how he got it covered. But he must be worrying with miscalculations, right?

"Ne, Papa," Ringo said as she stacked the meat cubes in plates. "How are you going to cook these meat?"

"Fufufufufu," Randall laughed. Somehow, Ron could hear a chef's pride in there. "I'm going to fry it with my special formula."

Ringo was deep in thought while she nodded. "Pirates like their meat fried. Got it."

Ron did a facepalm. _He's done it again._

"Anyway, could somebody get the huge pan in the secret cove?" Randall asked. The secret cove was where he docked when he first arrived in the island.

"Oh, me me me!" Ringo volunteered as she ran for the cove.

_Something's off here, _Ron thought. _Why would he cook now? Won't he try to preserve it first?_

* * *

"Nice to see you, old friend," Shanks said as he shook hands with Randall with a smile.

"Same here, old friend," Randall said.

_Two to three days, huh, _Ron thought as he served food with Ringo.

Shanks and his crew arrived the next morning, with their sails and Jolly Roger tied to the mast as to not attract the Marines' attention.

Shanks' crew was having a party behind them while eating Randall's fried Sea King meat cubes, and they craved for more, but they also threw complaints at Lucky Roo, who was hogging almost all of the meat that was being served.

"Oi, Roo!" a crew member said. "Haven't you eaten enough?"

"What are you saying?" he said, his grin always present. "If you want to eat, fight for your right to eat!"

Everyone stood up and readied themselves while grinning. "You asked for it!"

Then everyone went into a rumble, which made Shanks and Randall laugh.

"Ah, nostalgic times," Randall said.

"Yes, it's been a while for you," Shanks said and then looked around. "So where's that lady that made you stop on being a pirate?"

"Shanks, you know that I'll always be a pirate," Randall said and smiled sadly.

"Etooooooo~..."

Shanks and Randall looked at Ringo, whose eyes were sparkling at the sight of the 'Red-Hair'. "My mom died after giving birth to me, but you can see her in this picture~..." she said then held a picture frame at Shanks.

Shanks held the picture frame and looked at it. He saw Randall standing beside a apple-cut, red-headed woman sitting up on a bed while holding a newborn wrapped around in a cloth and her other arm's wrapped around a young Ron.

They were all smiling. Randall was still having his tears of joy, Ron was grinning, happy that he was going to have a sister, and Rai, Shanks assumed, was smiling joyfully even though her face says that she was tired.

The newborn was asleep, but a grin formed in her round face.

"Your mother looks like you, Ringo," Shanks said then smiled at her.

"W... Uwaaaaaaa~!" Ringo said, then shook Ron's shoulders in delight. "He knows my naaaame~! He called me by my naaaaaame~! And he said that I look like Mamaaaaa~!"

"Geez, Ringoooooooo..." Ron said as he was shaken by Ringo. "Heeeee would know your naaaaaaame becauuuuuse tou-chaaaaan writes to Red-Haaaaaaair!"

Ringo stopped shaking him in shock, then turned her back at him with her arms crossed and cheeks puffed. "I-I know that, baka. I-I wasn't h-h-happy or anything when S-Shanks called me by my name."

Randall sweatdropped while Shanks laughed and Ron felt dizzy. "You have an interesting daughter there, Randy!"

"Ah... well..." Randall muttered, then cleared his throat. "Anyway, Shanks, can we talk inside?"

Shanks grinned. "Sure! I have some things to tell you anyway!" then they went inside.

Ringo hugged her knees and sulked. "I... I think they've done something terrible in there..."

Ron, recovering, sighed. "You just want to listen to Shanks' tales of the sea, and you've been neglected."

"Tales, you say?"

The two tuned at Benn Beckman, Yasopp and Lucky Roo with their crew behind them. "Don't worry, we'll tell you better than that," Yasopp said. "We'll tell you our adventures."

"And since that young man there seems like he doesn't believe in words," Beckman said as Lucky Roo munched on another plate of Randall's meat cubes. "We'll lend you our logbook, if you want."

Ron went wide-eyed. "L-logbook? Pirates keep something like that?"

"Somehow, that sounded insulting," Beckman said. "But yes, we do."

Ron's eyes sparkled with Ringo's. "An authentic logbook...!" he said while Ringo said "Adventures...!" simultaneously.

* * *

A haggard-looking Pelomappa paced in his office again, even though he hadn't slept a wink because of his pacing around in his room last night.

"P-Pelomappa-san..." a Marine member said. "Aren't you tired of pacing?"

"WHAT I'm tired of, soldier, is that THAT PIRATE ISN'T TIRED OF PRETENDING TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN OF THIS ISLAND WHEN HE WAS IN THE FORMER PIRATE KING'S CREW!"

"But Pelomappa-san, the Pirate King's reign is over now, and his crews are now enjoying their retirement, just like Randall-san-"

But the Marine was cut-off. "Soldier. ARE YOU SIDING WITH THE PIRATES?" Pelomappa asked calmly.

The Marine saluted. "Sir, no sir!"

"Then go assemble the morning patrol, and GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!"

"Y-yes, sir!" the Marine said again then ran out of the room, slamming the door.

Pelomappa stopped at his window and looked at the Mitarashi residence again.

But something wasn't right in there.

"SOLDIER! WHY IS THERE A SHIP DOCKED AT THE STEM?" he shouted and turned.

The room was silent.

"Oh. Right. I forgot that I told him to assemble the morning patrol. Ah well, better go and patrol," he muttered to himself and slammed the poor door on his way out.

~(=w=~) (~=w=)~

**Notes of the Author:**

****Finally! Geez! I've finished this!

Seriously, I was so pissed off when I accidentally refreshed the Edit/Preview page, and the part on where Ringo and Ron got home disappeared! Huh. Lucky me for not saving. It took me DAYS to think of what I'd type again.

So, I'm sorry that this chapter seems rushed, but I really want Ringo's past out, so that I won't need to sneak this part anymore. xD And it gives you a preview on how motivated she is on Luffy being the Pirate King. But then, I agree with Ron on the first chapter. Why wouldn't she want to be a captain herself?

Anyhoo, I know I'm so unclear in storytelling, so if you guys think that I've missed some info in here, feel free to put it in your reviews.

On to the next chapter! (which is, I guess you've guessed, the end of the flashback. whew.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, and the Mitarashis and Pelomappa are my OCreations.**

~(=w=~) (~=w=)~

Reminiscences! Taking the Path of Dreams!

"I see," Shanks told Randall and looked out of the window. He saw Randall's children around his crew. He knew that the crew was telling them their adventures together, because of Yasopp's exaggeration.

"So, what do you think?" Randall asked, served beer and sat in front of his old friend.

"Well, as your last will and testament," Shanks joked, but then turned serious. "I'd gladly accept, but I've already made my point to that boy in Windmill Village I told you of, and your daughter is no exception. I won't and don't take kids as apprentices on board."

"But she admires you just the same as that boy you described," Randall said and drank beer.

"Then I'll give them this envelope then the time comes." Shanks said and waved an envelope.

"Shanks, I'm really sorry for burdening you like this, and I'm also sorry for my selfish requests."

"What are you saying? Of course I'll help you! You've saved my butt in our ventures together, and this is little a payment for my debt to you."

"I'm really sorry, Shanks."

"Don't be. Seriously."

"So, back to you…" Randall said and then looked at his friend. "That kid…"

"Yeah. He speaks definitely like our captain. It's amusing to watch, really."

Randall laughed. "Maybe the ones with D. in their names are really like that."

"Hey, you said that your daughter said that."

"She did. And because she's my offspring, then we can safely assume that her words also came from me too." then he and Shanks cheered. "Why don't you get yourself a wife other than going to the Grand Line? You would know what I feel."

"I'm sorry, old friend, but I'm still young, and the sea is vast. It mustn't go unexplored."

Randall laughed. "Why do I hear my mate-in-apprentice?"

"It's because living things age, and not dreams."

* * *

Pelomappa, ignoring the patrol protocol, went straight to the Mitarashi residence and banged on the door.

"Randall! Randall! Open this damn door!"

The door opened and Randall greeted him. "It's almost lunchtime, Pelomappa-san. Would you like to join us for one?"

"I don't have time for your kindness, pirate! What's with the ship behind your house? Why am I not informed of that?"

"Oh, it's just a random routine of the neighboring islands. They would replenish their stocks and then go off on a voyage as merchant ships."

"Where is its captain? I want to talk to him!"

"You called?"

'Captain' Yasopp came out of the door with a badass face.

"I want to know the authencity of your ship! Where are your papers?"

"Papers? We ain't have no papers, punk. We ain't have no Marines in our dear island."

"Well then, you're illegal!"

Yasopp grabbed Pelomappa's collar, and then he placed his long nose at Pelomappa's. "You talkin' 'bout authentic, punk? Then give us one! We're looking for isles like this that has Marines crawlin' with it, and then you sue me for being illegal when it's only me and my crew's first time? You kiddin' with me?"

"N-n-n-n-no, s-s-s-s-sir, I'm so s-s-s-sorry, I d-d-d-d-d-didn't know that i-i-i-i-it's your first time!" Pelomappa stuttered, quaking in his boots. "L-l-l-l-let's go in m-m-m-my office, t-then, and l-l-l-let me g-g-g-get you those p-p-p-p-papers."

Yasopp pushed the shaking Marine's collar back forcefully. "Weren't you listenin' to this man here?" he said then nodded his head to Randall. He sighed. "Well then, go and make those papers fer me! I'll come with yew!"

"Y-yessir! R-right away, sir!" Pelomappa said then gestured Yasopp outside. Yasopp walked, then the Marines surrounding Pelomappa and him started escorting them to the outpost.

When the Marines were now out of earshot, the pirates who were stopping their laughs by the woods ran to the Stem and there they ROFLed.

"Did you see Yasopp's face?" a crew asked.

"Yeah," another crew replied. "It definitely suits him!" he shouted, which brought another wave of laughter.

Ringo, Ron and Shanks were kneeling on the house's floor, pounding it simultaneously while laughing.

"I can't take it!" Shanks explained to Randall. "He's one of my strongest, and then I saw that his other strong trait was acting!"

The siblings ROFLed after that.

Randall sighed and smiled sadly at the people. So happy creatures, yet he can't really see on how they can laugh in a situation like this. Or is it just him that's worrying of miscalculations.

"Don't worry, Randy," Shanks assured. "He'll be fine."

"No, I'm just worried about on how long will the Marines act like idiots for an obvious act like that," Randall said.

"You know, you're better suited to be a strategist than a pirate," Shanks joked, which was agreed by his children.

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you."

"You're welcome," Shanks shrugged and then went out to the backyard to enjoy with his crew.

"Wait!" Ringo shouted, chasing Shanks. "I want more adventures!"

"C'mon, dad, everything's gonna be all right," reassured his father and then followed his sister.

Randall smiled sadly at his son. _If only the life of a pirate is that easy._

* * *

Pelomappa slammed his fist on his desk again, which had Yasopp's wanted poster on it.

"I was duped! Tricked! I looked like a laughingstock in front of those pirates (Yasopp and Randall)!" he said, enraged.

His men outside his office was trying so hard to stop their laughs, while the man inside focused on breathing in and out so that he'd stop snickering.

Pelomappa looked at him with eyes filled with rage. "ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME, SOLDIER?"

The shaken Marine saluted. "Sir, I was breathing sir!"

Pelomappa nodded. "Good. We wouldn't want you to die from oxygen deprivation."

The Marine started breathing in and out again. _Just how is he surviving? _he asked himself, aware that his stomach was tightened in a knot.

"Call HQ! Tell them that we have the Akagami Kaizoku-dan in here!" ordered Pelomappa.

The Marine saluted again. "Sir, yes sir!" and then rushed outside, slamming the door.

Pelomappa relished the moment by laughing evilly. "Finally! I got you now, Randall! And you've brought me a potential threat for the World Government! This will promote me, big time!"

* * *

Shanks sneezed.

"It's rare for you to be catching cold, Shanks," Benn Beckman told his captain.

Shanks rubbed the lower part of his nose. "Yeah. If I ever caught one, I wonder what will be the cause."

The pirates kept laughing, drinking and dancing around a campfire they made at Randall's backyard (by cutting trees), and Ringo was sitting cross-legged somewhere near the fun.

She drank her apple juice and then smiled at the chaos.

_I wonder if my captain's crew will be as chaotic as this? _she thought.

"Yo."

Shanks sat beside Ringo, who suddenly drank her juice empty and exhaled.

"I-i-i-i-isn't apple juice j-j-just tasty!" she exclaimed, flustered that _that _Red Hair's beside him.

He laughed. "Don't get nervous, geez. I'm still your father's mate, you know."

Ringo's eyes started twinkling again. "Demo, demo~! You're a pirate captain! And you have a pirate crew! I'm overwhelmed just by being beside someone like you! And your crew is soooo big!"

He laughed again while Ringo ranted childishly.

_And this is a person who wants to be a vice-captain of a pirate crew, _Shanks thought. _I wonder if he'd put her in his pirate crew, if he gives up on joining mine?_

Then he noticed Ringo, who stopped talking, and was looking at his crew who still weren't giving up, albeit drunk already.

"Ringo?" he called.

"Shanks-san... Do you think that I could... I could protect my crew if I become a pirate?"

Shanks looked at her questioningly.

Ringo realized on what she was saying, and then waved her hands embarrassingly at Shanks. "B-b-but then, my dream is to be like Silvers Rayleigh-san, s-s-so what am I talking about? Haha! Hahaha! Hahahahaha..."

She then hugged her knees and sulked. "Waaaah... what am I saying... I'm just ranting... I'm not really making sense, am I..."

He sweatdropped.

"But then..."

She looked at his crew one more, who were now dropping to the ground one by one.

"I... I really want to protect my crew if I become a pirate... whatever the cost..."

_"Ringo's very much like her mother. They're too much prideful, but they're selfless. They like bearing the world's pain on their shoulders, and they would seclude that pain to themselves," Randall said._

_"So they're masochists, huh?" Shanks said._

_Randall shuddered at the thought. "You don't know the half of it."_

"Ringo, you know, being a captain is as troublesome as being a first mate, a sharpshooter, a gobbling gorilla, and being in any crew," he said.

Ringo looked at him curiously, and looked at where Shanks is also looking.

They saw Beckman scolding Roo and Yasopp, who cheered with their mugs, drank rum, and Yasopp fell on his back, snoring. Roo laughed at him and their other drunk mates, who were asleep and were being dragged by Beckman and their their sober mates to the ship.

"Why is it so troublesome?" asked Ringo.

"It's because that we're different from each other that it's so troublesome to be watching each others' backs," he answered. "Being in a crew is like having the same goal, but to achieve that goal, we try to reach that goal in our own ways. That's why it's troublesome."

Ringo nodded and looked away. "I didn't understand that at all."

Shanks stopped himself from falling to the ground.

"But I think I know why you're saying this all of a sudden," she continued, which made him look at her.

"Papa told you, didn't you? That Mama and I are masochists, whatever that means. But then, isn't it better that way? Not to see them hurting."

Shanks, a moment later, laughed.

"W-w-w-why are you laughing all of a sudden!"

_They're perfect! _Shanks thought. _If ever Luffy, that straightforward bastard, quits nagging me in joining my crew, then Ringo, this worrywart, like her father, will be perfect in becoming his first mate! Just like Captain and Rayleigh-san all over again!_

"You just reminded me of a boy, that's what," Shanks said after his laugh.

Ringo pouted. "Do I look like a boy to you?"

Shanks put his hand on Ringo's head. "I'm sure you'll be a great vice-captain, Ringo!"

Ringo was overjoyed to hear that so she glomped Shanks.

"Thank you! Thank you! I'll do my best to be a great vice-captain that will make her captain the Pirate King, just like Rayleigh-san!"

He grinned. "That's the spirit!"

Then Ron grabbed the collar of her sleeveless kimono-style blouse and pulled her to the ground.

"What the heck, Ron?" Ringo shouted.

Shanks looked at Ron, whose eyes were hidden at the shadows of his bangs.

"I'm sorry, but it's already time for us to sleep," Ron told Shanks.

"Eeeeeeeeh?" Ringo complained. "But they're leaving tomorrow! Ditch the curfew!"

"Yeah," Shanks agreed, still sitting cross-legged. "I'll never get the chance to visit-"

He was cut off by Ron's intense glare, which surprised everyone who were awake.

"Sorry," Ron said, still glaring. "We have to sleep now." And with that he dragged an unconscious Ringo to their house.

"Shanks," Randall, who was helping Beckman carry Shank's crew, went to him together with Beckman and Roo.

"He has the Haoshoku Haki, Randall," Shanks told his old friend. He was still looking at the door on where Ron and Ringo, who was rendered unconscious because of Ron's Haki, entered.

"Yes, I'm aware of that... wait, did you just say 'Haki'?"

Shanks looked at his friend questioningly, while Randall looked like he'd just solved a puzzle.

"Shanks, give me that letter I gave you," Randall said while grinning.

* * *

[Remember Spongebob xD xp] Tomorrow morning...

Ringo has her cheeks puffed, Ron's head was down, and Randall shook his hand once more at Shanks, who were now leaving.

"Take care, old friend," Randall said.

"You too," Shanks said back.

"Meh, this just stinks," Ringo said and glared at her brother.

Shanks put his hand on Ringo's head again. "When you become a pirate, I'm sure you'll be seeing me again. Well, as enemies, of course," he said then laughed.

Ringo nodded. "And then we'll fight, fair and square!" she shouted.

"I'll be waiting for that!" he said with much motivation as Ringo's.

Ron scoffed, which gave him a glare from Ringo.

"Nani-yo?" she said. "You've been pissed since this morning." then she grinned slyly. "Maybe it's because we're all pirates here, and you're the only one who dreams to be a Marine?"

Ron clenched his fist.

"Now, Ringo," Randall scolded, but Ringo continued teasing Ron.

"Maybe he now wants to be a pirate, because I bet Marines are like Pelomappa, who is-"

Ron gave Ringo that intense glare again, but this time, Ringo became surprised, and then looked at her brother seriously.

Some of the semi-sober mates of Shanks fainted because of the Haki.

"That kid..." Yasopp said.

"Yeah, he has Haoshoku Haki," Beckman informed Yasopp, as he was out cold last night.

_Hooo, _Shanks thought. _She didn't faint the second time she experienced this Haki. Impressive._

"Akagami-san."

Shanks looked at Ron. If glares were bullets, his head would be filled by them.

"Our life was better when you didn't visit us," Ron said, turned by his heels and walked to their house.

"Ron, wait!" Randall said, confused of his son's actions.

"Lemme handle him, Papa," Ringo said, and followed her brother.

"I'm so sorry, Shanks," Randall apologized.

Shanks grinned. "You always say that. Why don't I say my apologies too? I'm sorry for insisting my visit when the Marines are stationed here."

"Well, everything went well, did it?"

After what Randall said sank in, Shanks covered his mouth as his cheeks puffed from an incoming laugh.

On the boat, the crew, except for Yasopp, and Roo, who was munching yet another rack of meat.

"Why is everyone laughing?" Yasopp asked.

Beckman put his hand on their sharpshooter's shoulder and then looked at him while trying to stop his laugh. "You... should've seen your face yesterday," he said and started laughing again.

Yasopp was confused for a moment, and then smiled proudfully. "Did you know that I was a real artist back on my home? I would disguise myself as someone and they wouldn't notice the real me."

The crew laughed more.

"Anyway," Shanks said after getting over his laugh. "Take care too, old friend."

"Oh?" Randall said, surprised. "Why worry? According to you, I've saved your butt multiple times when we were still cabin boys back at Captain Roger's ship."

Shanks pouted. "Geez, am I not allowed to tell you that for being stronger than me?"

* * *

Pelomappa smashed his hand on the wall beside the window.

"No! They're getting away! Damn this!"

There was a knock on the door.

"I HAVE NO TIME FOR THIS! COME IN!"

The Marine immediately came in and saluted. "S-sir! We've received word from the Marines that HQ dispatched to catch the Akagami Kaizoku-dan!"

"What did they say?" Pelomappa ordered.

"S-sir! They'll be arriving here in the afternoon, sir!"

"They won't make it!" he shouted then punched the wall again.

"What are we to do, sir?" asked the soldier.

Pelomappa paced around his office again, which was the exact same thing that has been keeping him awake last night.

Moments later, he stopped in front of the window.

"Wait for the dispatched team!" he ordered. "When they arrive, they're to be informed that the pirates escaped, and then we'll give them that bastard Randall for helping those pirates! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"

"Y-yes sir!" the Marine saluted and rushed out of the office.

Pelomappa mustered an evil grin. "Well, I won't be getting that pirate crew, but I would be enjoying your punishment, because helping pirates is punishable by death!"

* * *

"What's going on here?" Randall asked as he saw Ringo and Ron playing tug-of-war with a bag.

"Tou-san!" Ron shouted, and let go of the bag, which sent Ringo flying.

"We have to get out of here!" he continued, panic in his voice. "Pelomappa called the Marine HQ and I heard that they've called bigger Marine outposts near here and have dispatched two battleships to capture Shanks and his crew!"

"What? How do you know this?" Randall asked.

"I was sneaking in our outpost last night-"

"Oh, so that's where you went-" Ringo said, but was cut off by Randall.

"Didn't I tell you not to that anymore?" he scolded.

"We don't have time for this!" Ron shot back. "Time's against us, and the Marines are going to be here any second now! We need to go!"

"We don't need to, Ron," Randall said and tried his best reassuring smile. "I'm sure you've misheard things-"

"I'm not deaf!" Ron argued.

"Now, young man-"

"Argh!" Ron said and grabbed his bag. "You're wasting time! If you're not going to do anything, then Ringo and I will leave you here! Are you coming or what?"

That shocked Ringo and Randall very much.

"What... did you say?" Ringo asked, shaken at his brother's behavior.

"With every time wasted, we're jeopardizing our lives in here! As I said, the battleships will be here any minute now, and the sentence for helping a pirate is death! So, are you coming or not?"

Randall was still shaken on Ron shouting that they will leave him here, and he was now sitting on a dining chair.

"I... I..." he stuttered.

_Randall, you were expecting this, _the calculating part of his mind argued. _They were going to leave you sooner or later._

_Not until they're fifteen, _he corrected. _And... I've never... expected this kind of thing... my children are leaving me... Ron values life over family..._

_Correction, he's given you a choice. He was asking if you'd leave with them or not. But you've already made a choice, Randall, and you chose to die by accepting Shank's coming over here._

_Yeah... But this is just... breaking my heart..._

_You've grown naive, Randall. Just why did you go in Captain Roger's ship?_

"I... I'm going to stay."

"Well then, we're leaving," Ron said, slung his back on his shoulder and grabbed an unmoving Ringo's wrist. "Ittekimasu."

Ron then pulled Ringo outside the house.

Randall covered his eyes as his smile was soaked with his tears.

"Follow your dreams, my children," Randall sobbed gently. "Be as strong as you can be."

* * *

"We're going back to Apple Island," Shanks ordered. He was behind the deck, looking anxiously at the sea.

"But one of Randall's orders was that we're not to go back," Beckman reminded.

"That's just it," Shanks told his first mate. "He wouldn't order that unless..."

"Unless?"

"Unless this bad feeling fades away. Maybe it's just paranoia."

"Maybe it is."

"No, I know Randall. He's not going to give an order unless he's ready to defend the reason behind that order to death. Anyway, we're going back."

Beckman shrugged and then ordered the crew to turn back.

* * *

While Ron and Ringo walked hurriedly to the secret cove, every word that Ron shouted at their father sank down.

"Nii-san..." she said. "Y-you're leaving Papa?"

Ron didn't reply.

"Ne, nii-san?" Ringo tried again. "You were just joking when you fought with Papa, ne?"

Another unanswered question.

"Nii-san!" she now shouted, panicking.

Ron stopped walking.

"Ringo. This is only what you need to know. Tou-san had a choice. It was either to decline Shanks' coming in here because there are Marines stationed in here, or to accept Shanks' offer and be punished by death by them. And chose the latter. That's why he stayed. Because he needed to face the consequences created by his choice. If he comes with us, he'll just risk our lives because he'll be hunted by the World Government, Dead or Alive."

"But he's our father! You're just going to abandon him here to die?"

"It was always about you!"

Ringo flinched.

"Do you know why tou-san's dying now? Because of you! You wanted to be a pirate, of all people, and because of that stupid dream of yours, he accepted Shanks and his crew just to motivate you to pursue your dream! It's because of you that he's awaiting his death! Just because you are his favorite child and you resemble mom in so many ways, and you've mastered mom's dance that he's dying!"

They stood still for a moment, with their heads bowed, their eyes hiding by their bangs' shadows.

"But you were prepared to leave Papa," Ringo said finally, her tone serious.

"He'd already made his choice," Ron said simply.

"And you too. You've made your choice to be a Marine. That was why Papa taught you everything he knew. He worked you to the bone because you wanted to be a Marine. You excelled in everything we do. He didn't want you in our Marines because of Pelomappa, but he had been dropping hints as to where to find anything you want to learn in the outpost, so you can sneak easily."

"What are you trying to say?" Ron asked.

"That you've become what Papa would have become if he hadn't meet Mama; a paranoid, heartless strategist who's always calculating with no regard for conscience."

Ron flinched, and Ringo turned her back on him.

"Nii-san... iie. Ron. We've chosen the paths to our future. And on this day... we're going our separate paths, so get out of here and go to a better Marine outpost."

Ron was shaken at his sister's demand. "And you?"

Ringo glared at him. "How am I going to pursue my dream if I can't even save my father from the consequence he made because of us, huh?"

She started walking. "Well, I don't expect a heartless traitor like you to understand. Goodbye, Ron. When we meet again, we'll already be enemies, and I'll be sure to kill you."

Ron watched as her sister walked farther, and without a word, he started walking for the secret cove.

* * *

"He's too strong!"

Randall was standing at the middle of an unconscious group of Marines who tried to assault him.

He stretched. "Well, at least I still aren't rusty on what I do best," he said.

The first Marine battleship's captain clenched his teeth. "As expected from a crew of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger...!"

Behind him was Pelomappa, who was enraged and cowering in fear at the same time.

"G-g-g-g-g-g-go give h-h-h-h-h-him what h-h-h-he des-s-serves for b-b-b-being a p-p-p-pirate and h-h-h-h-h-h-helping fel-l-l-l-l-l-low pirates!"

Randall looked at him innocently. "And even though I was inviting you to lunch yesterday, Pelomappa-san... How could you?"

"Damarre, kono kaizoku!"

A small foot was sent flying to Pelomappa's cheek, and then the little foot kicked his face, resulting in him flying meters away.

"What was-" the Marine Captain said, but was cut off by a punch on the stomach.

He flew to the house's wall.

"_Ringo no Mai: Big Bang Theory."_

Randall looked at Ringo, who clearly ran over here because she was out of breath.

"Omatase, Papa!" Ringo shouted.

"Ringo!" Randall shouted, ran to his daughter and hugged her tightly.

Ringo was surprised by his father's sudden action.

"I'm so sorry!" he sobbed. "I love you and your brother, remember that!"

"Papa, I came here to save you, so let's go-"

She heard a sword being stabbed on her father, and it was confirmed when her father's body jerked.

"Ringo... Remember that... Mama's... with you and Ron... always..." Randall muttered to her ear and then fell to the ground with a thud.

"Pa... pa?" Ringo said in shock, her eyes wide and teary.

Beside her, Pelomappa laughed maniacally.

"I can't believe it!" he shouted with some demented happiness. "His death is given by me! Kono-ore-sama-da!" then he laughed evilly.

* * *

Ron stopped pushing the small boat to the water and clenched his jaws.

"Damn this all!" he shouted and ran out of the secret cove.

_I'll prove to you that I still have conscience!_

* * *

Shanks, not waiting for the ship to dock properly, jumped out of it, landed at the stem, and then ran to his old friend's house.

"AAAAAAAAH! PLEAAAAAAAAAAASE! DON'T KILL MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Pelomappa flew out of the house's wall, making a hole, and landed in front of him.

He reached for Shanks' cloak, pulled himself up and looked at Shanks with fear for his life.

"I don't wanna dieeee! Please save meeeee!"

The door flew out of its hinges and came out Ringo, who was surrounded by some kind of thin, black fog.

Ringo started walking towards them, her head still down. "Shanks-san, get away from there. I'm going to kill that man for taking my father's life."

"AAAAAAAH! SHE'S GOING TO KILL ME, THE CRAZY BITCH!" Pelomappa shouted, cowering behind Shanks.

"DAMARRE!" Ringo shouted and raised her head.

Tears were streaming down her face, and she was seething with rage, even though she was barely conscious.

"An eye for an eye, Marine! You mercilessly stabbed my father, and I'm going to do the same to you! Get out of the way, Shanks-san!"

"No," Shanks said, his eyes hidden by his strawhat's shadow.

"Then I'll kill you with him too!" she shouted. She then held her right fist up. The thin, black fog spiraled on her arm, and when she opened her fist, her arm became black.

"_Kuroi Busou: Arm Enhancement."_

Shanks started walking towards her.

"G-go and kill that psycho!" cheered Pelomappa.

Ringo started running to Shanks.

_"Ringo no Mai: Rotation!"_

Ringo punched Shanks, who easily evaded it, and handchopped Ringo's neck, resulting in her succumbing to the unconscious, and her arm losing its black color.

"You're hundred years young to be beating me around, brat," Shanks said as he caught Ringo by holding her collar.

He slung her at his shoulder while Pelomappa cheered like the retard he is.

"THAT'S PIRATES FOR YOU! WOOHOO!" he cheered.

Shanks gave him a glare, imbuing some of his Haoshoku Haki with it.

"Leave this place. Never show your face to us again, or either one of Randall's children or I will kill you without remorse," he said, then walked to the Mitarashi's house.

Pelomappa fell to the ground, shaking with fear while unconscious.

* * *

"Tou-san!"

Ron held his father's hand tightly as Randall, barely conscious, held his son's face. He was crying over him

"Tou-san! I'm so sorry..." Ron sobbed. "If... If I just stayed, we would've defeated all those Marines, and we could've run together..."

Randall's hand tensed, which made Ron look at his father.

He was smiling sadly, and shook his head.

"T-tou-san... Do you mean that... I'm forgiven?" Ron asked.

Randall then craned his neck (he was lying on his side) to look at Shanks, who was standing behind him.

"You knew... You knew all along, didn't you?" Shanks asked, his eyes still hidden. "That this was bound to happen when I come here."

Randall smiled sadly.

Shanks bared his teeth. "Now I wonder where Ringo got her masochist side," he said as calm as possible, his shaking frame betraying his false calmness.

Randall looked at his son again, wiped his tears, and closed his eyes.

"No..." Ron grieved. "No!"

He shook his father, trying to wake him up, but when he realized it was futile, he sobbed over his father again, shouting his pain.

Shanks clenched his hand. "I'm sorry for my insolence. If I didn't come here then..."

"It's my fault too..." Ron sobbed. "If... If I didn't become a coward then... then tou-san will...!"

A tear fell from an unconscious Ringo's face.

* * *

"Really... How did you get up in here?"

Ringo looked at Shanks, who also came in his ship's crow's nest.

Ringo pouted. "I'm as strong as an adult, so you shouldn't worry much, geez."

"Yes, but you're still a child."

"I am NOT a kid!" Ringo complained.

"You're eight."

Ringo puffed her cheeks. "Boo, there's no stopping you."

Shanks grinned, then sat beside her.

"Are you still mad at that Marine?" Shanks asked.

"No," Ringo said ignorantly. "Papa wouldn't approve of it anyway, and you know what they say, idiots are dangerous."

He sweatdropped.

"And if I cry for Papa, he wouldn't approve of it either, because he had been preparing Ron and I for our dreams, so when I pursue it, then he'll be proud of me." Ringo then smiled. "And you said that Ron came back for him, so I know he'll be able to pursue his without a problem."

Then Ringo looked at her right hand. "And that power... I wonder what was that."

"That was what we call 'Haki'," Shanks explained.

"Haki?" Ringo said, her eyes twinkling at Shanks again. "That sounds cool! Ne, can you teach me how to control Haki, Shanks-san?"

Shanks rubbed his nape. "Teaching you Haki would take years, and I don't accept kids joining my crew, so you're alone on that one."

Ringo pouted again. "Meh, kechi."

Ringo looked at the horizon.

_Papa, I'm going to be a pirate now, so watch me become what I want to be, okay? Because I'm definitely going to be a pirate vice-captain that can protect her crew and make my captain the Pirate King!_

* * *

Upon arriving at Foosha Village...

"Eeeh?" a boy about her age and was picking up his nose said as he saw Ringo. "Dare-da, omae?"

Ringo grinned proudly. "I'm just a kid crew at Shanks' ship."

"NANI?" he shouted. "ARE YOU SERIOUSLY SERIOUS?"

Shanks punched Ringo on the upside. "Aho! Don't go saying lies like that!"

Ringo squatted and tried to stop her tempted hands from holding her aching head. "Iteeee... W-what was that foooor?"

"Anyway," Shanks said and looked at the boy. "She'll be living in Foosha Village now, so be nice to her, Luffy!"

"Yosh," Luffy said and then looked at Ringo. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to join Shanks' crew!"

Ringo was rubbing her head. "I'm Mitarashi Ringo, and I'm going to be a pirate when I reach fifteen."

"Eeeh? You? A pirate?"

She looked at him annoyingly. "What? What's wrong on being a pirate?"

Luffy put his chin between his thumb and index finger. "But you're a girl, and you don't look strong..."

"Oi."

Luffy looked at Ringo. She pointed at him and gave him a serious glare.

"Even if I'm a girl, I'm capable of being a pirate vice-captain, so don't you go saying pathetic reasons for me not being able to pursue my dream, brat."

Luffy was silent.

"Oh?" Shanks remarked. "Cool, you've shut Luffy up!"

"Ussai!" Ringo said and then started pointing at Shanks. "It's your fault that I can't go and control that power!"

"Okay."

Shanks and Ringo looked at Luffy, who was now grinning.

"I acknowledge your dream! You have my respect as a pirate-in-training!"

Ringo put her hand on her waist and grinned too. "I'm glad we've come in agreement, Monkey D. Luffy!"

* * *

At present time, Zoro and Ringo both looked beyond the horizon.

"He's great, isn't he?" Ringo said finally, after telling Zoro her past.

"Yeah, your father is," Zoro answered.

"Chigau-yo. I was talking about Luffy."

"That good-for-nothing captain of ours? Seriously, I don't know why you didn't make your own pirate crew, as your brother suggested."

Ringo smiled. "It's because I knew that Luffy would give us one goal that we can accomplish in our own way."

Zoro grinned. "Yeah, he did."

Ringo then laid on her side again and raised a hand. "Well then, now that's settled, I bid you good night and sweet dreams."

He sweatdropped. "You're going to sleep here?"

She gave him a look. "What? What's wrong in sleeping here?"

"Shouldn't you be sleeping in the women's quarters with Nami and Robin?"

"Oh, so you're also saying that because I'm a girl-"

"I didn't say anything like that!"

"But it was somewhere near that!"

While Zoro and Ringo argued, a pink petal floated behind them, and Robin smiled at her seat in Sunny-gou's library.

(~=w=)~ ~(=w=~)

**Author's Notes**

FI. NA. LLI!

I am SO over this flashback! xD so i sincerely apologize if it seems rushed. =w= one does not simply come up of a history when it isn't planned. 8D but then, what history was planned? meh, don't mind me, I'm just messing around.

I would like to thank Youtube for providing me vocaloid songs like the Rugrats Theory and Heat Haze Days/Kagerou Days, Iron Man's Behind the Scenes and some of Robert Downey Jr.'s visits to talk shows. [yes, i am an official fan girl of RDJ, but then, who isn't?]

and, i would like to apologize again, because i went ahead and made chapter four while this chapter was still in production. ebil me.

so, anyone noticed that this chapter was long? me too. xD unfair for the previous chapters, right? so i was planning to transfer some event in here to chapter two, because i've already decided that the limits for le chaps are less than or equal to 5,000 words, excluding the A/N, because i get chatty sometimes. xp

and dat "Ringo no Mai/Apple Dance" part, yes, thats the infamous dance/martial art that got Ringo's mom, and eventually her, to get the title "Apple Dancer".

...what? look at bleach's wiki and search for rukia. she names her techniques like it's a dance. don't blame me, dat name has been on my mind eons ago.

and dat "Kuroi Busou" part... xP i'll leave that to future chapters.

so, with this finally over, i give you chapter four!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece and Ringo's my OC.**

~(=w=~) (~=w=)~

Breaking into the Devil's Sea! The Mysterious Skeleton Wandering in the Mist!

Luffy, Usopp and Chopper were by the swing tied on a tree's branch, with Usopp swinging while standing.

"Here comes Usopp's great jump!" he shouted.

While the three were playing, Robin was watering the plants and then smiled at the boys' joy.

"Yosh, it's my turn!" Chopper said.

"Ike, ike!" Usopp encouraged him.

Chopper sat down and started swinging.

"Here we go!" he asid then he let go of the swing, flying off it.

Meanwhile, Franky was in his workshop, which entrance was sealed off and has a sign that says "Absolutely No Entry"

"Kuso," he said as he hammered something. "I had the best intentions, yet…!"

Then he remembered when Nami came in and bunny-slapped he when she saw the Waver was remodelled.

"_Before adding that stupid wooden horse, you should've asked me!"_

Franky sighed and put the hammer down. "It's complete."

Then he looked at his masterpiece with a grin. "With this, I'm sure she won't complain. Let's hold this one in reserve."

Ringo, as usual, was on the roof of the crow's nest, smiling with a lazy face.

"Ah~... What good weather~…" she said.

"The next one is Luffy!" Usopp shouted. "Ike!"

Luffy jumped from the swing and landed on a wall.

"Awesome landing!" Usopp and Chopper rejoiced as Luffy fell down the wooden floor, feeling dizzy.

In the kitchen, Sanji whipped up drinks for two and put it in a dumbwaiter on where it would get the drinks down the Aquarium. "Nami-san, Robin-chan. Omatase!"

"Yosh! Let's all jump together this time, the three of us!" Luffy shouted outside.

"Yeah!" Usopp and Chopper agreed.

Sanji opened the door and called the three. "Instead of playing, could you go and get some of the octopi from yesterday's big catch?" he asked.

"Tako?" the three chorused.

"Yeah," he agreed and then called out tako-dishes.

"Takomeshini, takoshabu, and also, octopus served in square cut colorful portions in a mountain-like shape!"

Ringo drooled in her nap. "Takoringo~…"

"I was thinking of preparing octopus for today, you see."

Luffy expressed his glee while drooling. "Umasou! Sanji, also prepare some takoyaki!"

"Many takoyaki!" Chopper and Usopp agreed.

"Wakata, wakata!" Sanji said while grinning. "I'm counting on you, then!"

"Alright!" the three chorused.

Meanwhile, Robin entered the Aquarium. "It seems you're busy," she said at Nami, who took out the drinks out of the dumbwaiter.

Nami looked at Robin. "I'm glad to see you. There's one for you too."

Robin smiled. "Arigato."

"Let's go, let's go!"

Luffy, Chopper and Usopp ran childishly to the hatch then opened it. This is where they put their catch, and the catch can be viewed in the aquarium,

"Yosh," Chopper said, motivated to catch the octopi, and put his arm in the water.

As soon as the octopi saw Chopper's arm, they steered well clear of it.

Chopper gave up and raised his hand in disappointment. "Kuso. I can't catch it as long as it keeps running away."

"Yosh!" Luffy said as he started spinning his arm. "This time, I'll give it a try!"

"No, wait!" Usopp said, raising his hand wide. "You two are Devil's Fruit users. If by any chance you fall into the water, you'll drown. Leave this to me!" then he grinned, his teeth twinkling.

Robin looked at Usopp, who was in swimming garb and a pair of spatula placed in his back, as he jumped inside the aquarium.

Nami followed suit. "Usopp?"

She then walked to the aquarium.

_Kuso, where did they go? _He thought as he searched for the poor octopi. _Found them!_

He saw the octopi gathered together in one spot, preparing for the worst.

_They've hardened their defenses, however! _He then smiled. _I hope you're ready for this!_

He then grabbed his spatula and started swimming to the octopi. _After all, you stand no chance before Usopp-sama!_

The octopi glared at him worriedly.

He then raised his weapons.

An octopus came out of the hatch, which delighted the two Devil's Fruit users. "Hoho! One down!" remarked Luffy.

_Second! _Usopp thought underwater as he grabbed a group of octopus with his spatula, and another group with the other. _Third! Fourth!_

Then his attacks came in a barrage as the octopi diminished.

Meanwhile, Luffy and Chopper was amazed on the octopi steadily coming out of the hatch.

Back underwater, the octopi had thought of a counterattack, and charged at Usopp with their tentacles.

Usopp was now tentacled!

_Like I'll get tied up by these things! _he thought as he tried to shake out the octopi out of his skin.

Nami now held the glass separating her and the water. "Usopp!" she cried.

Robin stood up. "Ara, daihen." She then tried to use her Devil's Fruit abilities to help Usopp.

_Stay away… from my body!_

Usopp succeeded in getting an octopus out of his face, but it spat out ink in return, blocking Robin's view.

"Nanda, nanda," Chopper said. "The water turned pitch black all of a sudden!"

"Oi!" Luffy shouted. "Are you alright?"

"Usopp is in trouble!" Nami shouted. "He got caught by the octopi!"

"Eeeeh?" Chopper and Luffy exclaimed.

Luffy stood up. "Usopp! Grab on!" he shouted and threw his rubber arm in the black water.

"Usopp! Are you alright?" Chopper shouted, which was heard across the ship.

Sanji stopped washing the dishes, Ringo woke up and rolled to the topsail yard, and Zoro walked to the window as response to Chopper's distress.

Ringo, who was now bent on the topsail yard, called to Chopper as Luffy shouted Usopp's name. "What happened?" she shouted.

"Usopp! He's been held captive by the octopi!" Chopper shouted back.

"Oooooh. Held captive?" Ringo muttered, sat on the mast then watched Luffy and Chopper.

Usopp still tried to struggle out of the octopi. _Let me go, you…! _he thought then he did several headbutts to the octopus on his hand.

Luffy was still searching blindly for Usopp. "Dameda! I can't tell where he is because of the dark!" he said, and then he was pushed in the water. Chopper hurriedly held Luffy's torso then he pulled him back.

Luffy shook the ink out of his face and grinned. "If I know where they're hiding, then…!"

Ringo did a facepalm as Luffy did a Gomu Gomu no Gatling and punched the water in a barrage. _That's Luffy for you,_she thought.

Luffy got Usopp out of the water after giving him several bumps.

He and Chopper looked at Usopp.

"Hoh! He's alive!" Luffy said.

"Yokatta!" Chopper sighed.

Usopp stood up and shouted at Luffy. "As if you regret it!"

Sanji walked to them. "They're all noisy about just catching some octopi," he complained.

Usopp appeared in front of him and gave him a complaint of his own. "You're the one who told us to get them!"

Zoro, who was in the crow's nest while watching the scene, walked to his seat. "I wonder what they're doing," he muttered then took his seat, placed his elbow on the windowsill and held his cheek.

Then he saw something by the sea.

Ringo glanced at the crow's nest while Zoro spoke on the intercom. "Oi! There's something floating out there!"

"Really?" Ringo said as she turned around and squinted at the sea.

"Nanda nanda?" Luffy said as he ran for the rail and searched for the floating thing, along with Usopp, Sanji and Chopper.

"Oi, where is it?" Usopp asked.

"Are you sure?" Sanji asked.

The five of them, saw a barrel with a sign on top of it floating in the sea.

"There it is!" Ringo shouted. "It's a barrel!"

Usopp read the sign. "Look, it says 'treasure' right on it!"

Luffy tried to read it too, and came to the same conclusion as Usopp. "You're right!"

Ringo's eye and mouth twitched at her crewmates' stupidity. _Why don't they try to read the whole sign for a change? _she thought.

"Could it be…" Luffy started. "Maybe it's treasure that fell from a treasure ship?"

"Treasure?" Usopp, Chopper and Sanji chorused.

"Oi, Luffy!" Usopp called, giddy of the thought. "Let's hurry to pull it out!"

"Ou!" Luffy agreed.

* * *

Everyone, except for Robin and Nami, were now gathered around the barrel which was now on the ship.

Usopp, Chopper and Luffy started singing and dancing in front of the barrel. "Treasure~ treasure~ we've discovered a treasure~!"

"Sorry," Nami intervened as she and Robin came out of a door. "But it's just alcohol and some food."

"How do you know that if you didn't look in it?" Luffy argued.

"See how it says 'Gift to the Sea God' on it?" Nami asked. "People send those barrels out to sea when they leave on a voyage to pray to the sea gods for a safe journey. The 'gift' part means 'for the gods'."

Ringo, who was sitting cross-legged in front of the barrel, nodded at Nami's explanation. "It is, isn't it?" she said.

"Then why didn't you tell us in the first place?" Usopp shouted at Ringo.

She closed an eye while arguing with Usopp. "If I did, Luffy would argue and get it anyway."

Usopp squatted in disappointment. "What, so it's pointless to have picked it up?"

Zoro stood up from his seat. "It's got sake in it," he said. "Let's have some."

"Baka," Usopp argued. "Do you wanna be smitten?"

"If we pray then drinking it should be fine," Nami answered.

"I'm not praying to some god," Zoro complained as he walked to the barrel.

"Alcohol that's been tossed around by the waves is supposed to be especially delicious," Nami stated.

"Oh, then we've gotta try it!" Franky said as he licked his lips and walked to the barrel.

Usopp threw his hands up high. "Yosha! Then let's have a toast!" he said, and Chopper nodded his head in anticipation.

"After we've finished it, we're supposed to refill the barrel and release it again," Robin explained.

"Heeeh," Chopper said.

Franky started shaking the barrel. "Open it, open it! Hurry up!"

"Oi, kamisama!" Luffy shouted to the heavens as he threw up his hands in the air. "We're gonna have some of this!" he then put his hands together as he laughed.

Zoro harrumped. "What 'God'? Aren't you the one that beat the shit out of 'God' on the Sky Island?"

Ringo appeared beside him and snapped her hand. "I'm sure you know that he has already forgotten that guy, oi."

"Well, sorry for taking it without permission!" Luffy said then untied the rope sealing the barrel.

"Yosh, it's open!" he said then tried to open it, but the barrel exploded on the inside, which threw Luffy away from it.

"Something flew out!" Usopp shouted.

A red light flew up and illuminated the sky.

The Strawhats stared at the light.

"Nanda?" Luffy asked in his own easygoing way as he blocked his eyes from the light.

"A red light?" Usopp answered while looking at the light inside his goggles.

"Nani?" Nami said. "Dooyukoto?"

Then the light disappeared.

"The sake flew out, lit up and disappeared!" Chopper shouted.

"It was a flare," Robin stated.

"And a creepy red one at that," Ringo agreed.

"A flare?" Nami asked.

Zoro laughed. "Maybe it's a curse from that sea god!"

"If it's simply a prank, then there's no issue," Robin continued. "However…"

"However…?" Usopp and Chopper said in chorus, their bodies shaking up in fright.

"It's possible that now this ship is being targeted by someone," Robin finished.

"But if that's the case," Ringo argued while Usopp and Chopper were making a ruckus behind her. "It would be purely coincidental, because there's no one in these seas besides us, and only the Marines are after our heads after the events in Enies Lobby."

"Then," Nami asked. "How do you explain that flare?"

"Maybe it's a key in opening a portal to _that _part of the sea." Ringo answered.

"Yes, that might be true…" Robin half-agreed.

"I don't see anybody!" Chopper shouted as he searched for something, anything, in front of the ship.

"Not here, either!" Usopp said by his station at the side of the ship.

"We can't see anyone, but…" Nami's voice trailed off as she noticed the wind.

_This air pressure… _she thought. _The cloud currents are moving really fast._

She then knew what was happening and rushed to the second floor. "Everyone, to your positions!" she shouted. "We're heading south-southeast! A huge storm's approaching, we've got five minutes!"

Luffy ran to his post. "I can't see anything, but if she says so it must be true! Nami, which way?"

"2 o'clock!" Nami shouted as she approached the third floor.

Everyone hurried to their posts.

The clouds grew dark, and the winds have now picked up strength.

It started raining.

"Kuso, this rain will be really troublesome!" Usopp complained as he tied the swing to the tree.

Then lightning started striking down the earth, with the thunder following.

"And now even thunder!" Chopper shouted while in his Human Form.

The storm plagued Sunny-gou.

Ringo tried her best to keep herself on the topsail yard. "Nami, at this rate, the sails are going to tear apart!"

"Dameda," Nami said as she clenched her teeth at the storm. "There's a strong head wind! We're being pushed back!"

Sunny-gou tilted to the side, and it kept getting water on the deck.

"Oi!" Franky shouted. "You think that's all this ship can do?"

"Souka!" Nami said. "Everyone raise the sails! We'll use the Paddle!"

Usopp shouted with glee as he held the rail while the wind's trying to blow him away. "Are-ka?"

"Hoho!" Luffy said, holding Boshi on top of his head. "I like that thing, it's so cool! Yare!"

The sails automatically folded itself, and Ringo jumped beside Sanji.

"Is everything okay?" asked Nami.

"The main is okay, Nami-san!" Sanji said.

"The sails have been raised to the mast!" Zoro announced.

"Franky, go ahead!" Nami shouted.

"Ou!" Franky answered.

_"Soldier Dock System, Channel Zero."_

"_Cola Engine: Paddle Ship! Sunny-gou!"_

A pair of paddles came out on each sides of Sunny-gou and then rotated as fast as the cola can.

"Ike!" Usopp shouted.

"Susume!" Luffy shouted.

Sunny-gou paddled as fast as it could away from the storm.

Nami sighed when the coast cleared. "We made it out."

"Aah," Zoro agreed. "That's good, but what's with this place? It's not even night, and yet, it's not night, and the fog's making it look so dark…"

"Maybe," Nami said as she walked to the side of Sunny-gou. "We're in _that _part of the ocean? We're not ready for this!"

Usopp grinned. "Oh, are we at Fishman Island already?"

"No," Luffy said with his eyes hidden in Boshi's shadow and his grin. "Before that is the ghost sea!"

"Souda," Franky agreed. "Don't let your guard down. This ocean is definitely the famous Florian Triangle! The outrageous sea where everything mysteriously disappears!"

Usopp was scared shitless while Ringo laughed. "Eh? G-g-ghosts?"

Luffy laughed. "Yeah, there's ghosts in this ocean!"

"You're lying!" Usopp shouted while stamping a foot. "Everyone knows what it is, why don't I?"

Chopper was hugging Zoro's leg while shaking out if fright.

Luffy laughed again. "Kokoro-baasan told us. There's even living skeletons!"

"L-living skeletons?" Usopp said.

Sanji lit a match. "That's just your imagination. Stop scaring him with it."

"You say that when Usopp's already shaking hard,"Ringo laughed.

"Okay, Usopp," continued Sanji. "Every year in this ocean, many ships disappear without a trace…" then he made a scary, grinning face. "They say there's ghost ships filled with the dead that wander…!"

Ringo laughed more. "Aren't you the one scaring him more?"

Usopp screamed. "Yada! Tell me that kinda thing ahead of time!"

"What would that help?" asked Sanji in a ghoulish way.

"I-I could have prepared!" answered a veeeery scared Usopp. "I need some exorcism things!"

"Usopp!" cried Chopper. "I need some too!"

Then a ghoulish melody was being hummed out of nowhere, which made the Strawhats search for its source.

"Nanda? What's with this voice?" Usopp said.

The melody continued as the crew searched for it.

"This melody…" Ringo muttered.

Usopp cranked his neck behind him. Then he raised his hands. "Eeeeek!"

A huge ship appeared behind Sunny-gou!

"THE GHOST SHIP!" everyone, except Robin and Ringo, chorused with wide jaws.

The humming became louder as the ghost ship sailed beside Sunny-gou.

"W-what's with this song?" Nami asked while tears of fright came out of her eyes.

"It's the evil spirit's song!" Usopp, alongside Chopper, shouted. "Don't listen to it! If you do, you'll be cursed!"

"Chigau!" Ringo argued as Chopper screamed. "That song's name is 'Bink's Sake', and it's nowhere near in being a cursed song!"

" 'Bink's Sake?'" asked Sanji.

"Luffy!" Ringo called, and Luffy appeared beside her. "Ou!" he said.

Then the two placed an arm on each other's shoulders and started dancing and singing.

_Binksu no sake wo~  
Todoke ni yuuku yo~  
Umikaze, kimakaze, namimakaze~!_

"Is there someone on that ship?" Robin asked as Luffy and Ringo sang while Usopp and Chopper whined.

Zoro readied his katana. "If it's an enemy, I'll cut him down!"

"There's something there," Sanji said.

Everyone stopped doing something and looked at the side of the ship.

A silhouette became clearer and clearer as the ship passed them.

"Binksu no sake wo…~ Todoke ni yuuku yo…~"

There! A skeleton with an afro is now in clear light, and then he drank something from a teacup!

As the ship went on its way, the skeleton repeated "Bink's Sake's" melody, and it sent the Strawhat Crew in a state of shock.

Luffy was the first to recover. "Did you see that just now?" he said then smiled. "A skeleton was singing!"

Ringo nodded at his captain's statement. "Sou, sou!" she agreed. "And he was singing 'Bink's Sake', just like the one we sang!"

Usopp and Chopper jumped in fright. "B-bakero! Skeletons don't sing! It was a spirit, a spirit!"

But Luffy and Ringo weren't listening, as they looked at each other with sparkling eyes. "Do you know what this means, Luffy?" Ringo said gleefully. "We've found your musician!"

"Sou-yo!" Luffy said with much glee as Ringo. "And he's a living skeleton at that!"

Then the two faced the ghost shop that's now sailing away. "Yosh! Let's go immediately on that ship!" he said, and he and Ringo chorused "Ou!" while fists were thrown in the air.

The two rushed to Sunny-gou's side when Sanji grabbed the back of their shirts. "Matte, matte," he said. "Don't rush, Luffy, Ringo."

Zoro then held up popsicle sticks. "Well, we'll decide who's going with Luffy over to that ship," he said, which got frightened "Eeeeeh?"-s from Nami, Usopp and Chopper.

"Why?" a crying Usopp asked Zoro. "He's fine with the guys who want to go!"

"Sou-yo!" agreed a crying Nami. "Let them do it!"

A crying Chopper climbed Zoro's head and repeated what Nami said.

Zoro closed his eyes. "Is that really okay?"

The three then looked at the railing to see Robin, Ringo, Luffy, Sanji and Franky standing on it.

"Yosh, let's go!" Luffy said, giddy to meet the skeleton. Ringo and Franky shouted in agreement.

The three fell to the ground. "Not at all…" Nami replied defeatedly.

Chopper held at Zoro's Wado Ichimonji's sheath. "Please exclude me from this!" he begged.

Usopp, who was holding on to Chopper, said, "Zoro-kun, I beg of you! Let's get inside Sunny until they come back!"

Nami, who was holding on to Usopp, agreed. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go inside!"

"You don't have to go," Luffy complained. "I'll be fine by myself. If we don't hurry, the ship will leave."

"That's right," Sanji agreed. "And then you won't be able to go."

"Huh?" Luffy said as he looked at Sanji.

"Anyway," Zoro said, the sticks still out in the open. "Pick one. Two will go with him to prevent Luffy from acting stupidly."

Chopper and Nami swallowed their salivas.

* * *

Nami kneeled dejectedly at the canoe that she, Sanji and Luffy brought at the side of the ghost ship, while the boys have proceeded in climbing the net to the ship.

"Why are we going?" she whimpered. "I'm going back!"

"Nami, mada-ka?" Luffy shouted from above her. "Hurry and climb up!"

She shouted, complained and tried to imitate Luffy at the same time.

"I told you I'm fine alone!" Luffy complained.

"Dameda!" Sanji replied. "If we let you do that you'd do something stupid and get us all cursed!"

Nami started climbing the net. "I have terrible luck!" she whimpered.

"Nami-swan~! It's alright~!" Sanji said, his eyes turning into hearts again. "I'll protect you~!"

"Even if you say so…" Nami said.

"Nami, didn't you want a treasure ship?" Luffy asked.

"This isn't a treasure ship!" Nami argued. "You saw it, didn't you? That moving skeleton!"

"He's the guard!" Luffy argued back with his usual grin. "Let's go find him!"

The three started climbing again, and when they were almost to the top, the skeleton can be seen looking at them with those hollow eye sockets.

It surprised Luffy, unnerved Sanji and made Nami cry out of fright again as she screamed.

It reached Sunny-gou and the remaining crew.

Ringo pouted and drew circles with her index finger at the rail. "I have terrible luck today, and I just wanted to meet that skeleton…"

Chopper was crying out of fright, and Usopp put his hands together. "Evil spirits stay away, evil spirits, stay away…" he chanted. "Luffy, rest in peace!"

Ringo appeared behind him and punched him on the upside of the head. "Aho! Luffy isn't even dead yet!"

Luffy and Sanji was surprised at the skeleton while Nami still whimpered in fear.

"Gokugen-yo! Yohohoho!" the skeleton greeted as he held a teacup on one hand, a cane was hanging on his arm, and the other hand was holding his top hat up. "I'm so sorry about earlier, I was unable to greet you properly! I'm simply so surprised! It's been so many years since I've seen people! All I ever see is ghost ship after ghost ship… It's terrifying! Well, make yourselves at home and come inside. We'll be able to talk more relaxed."

"Look!" Luffy said in glee as he pointed at the skeleton. "He's talking! The skeleton's got an afro and he's talking!"

"Unbelievable," Sanji remarked.

The skeleton looked at Nami. "Oya, oya~!"

He walked then said, "My lady, you're a sight to behold! Beautiful!"

"Oh, n-no, I'm not…" Nami said,

"Oh, I only have eyes for beautiful ladies, although as a skeleton, I have no eyes! Yohohoho!"

He then placed his teacup on a table, his cane beside it, tightened his muffler, shined his shoes, and then walked to Nami.

"Would you, perhaps, show me your panties?" he asked.

That resulted in a kick from Nami. "Why would I?" she shouted.

"Yohoho, how harsh!" the skeleton said as he fell to the ground.

"I'm afraid you caused my skin to fall right off! Although I was already a skeleton!"

"Uruse!" Nami shouted while Luffy laughed.

"How come this skeleton is a simpleton?" Sanji wondered.

Luffy stopped laughing. "Hey, can you poop?" he asked.

"There's lots more important questions than that!" Sanji shouted.

The skeleton stood up, retrieved his teacup and cane, and then faced the three again. "Yes, I can."

"Don't answer him!" Sanji complained. "Nevermind that!"

He then pointed at the skeleton. "First, if you're just a skeleton, how can you be alive and talking? Who are you? Why are you here? What happened to this ship? What kind of things happen in this sea? Answer all of these right now!"

"Matte," Luffy said as he walked in front of the two. "Omae! Join our crew!"

Sanji and Nami stopped themselves from falling down.

"Alright then," said the skeleton easily, which shocked the two.

The skeleton then drank from his teacup while Luffy grinned with the answer he got.

(~=w=)~ ~(=w=~)

**Author's Notes**

FI. NA. LLI! [Part Two 8D]**  
**

I am officially in the Thriller Bark Arc! Hooray for me~! -throws flower petals at joo-

Rejoice, my readers! (i am crazy, yes, but i'm no possessive person. xD) Unless I need to put another one of my fantasies in here (wait, ain't this one of your fantasies?), let's hope that I'd post in less days than expected!

Well, scratch that (and me contradicting me), because my summer vacation's now over and ebil school will start on Monday. But then, I'm addicted to what I'm addicted at (what?), so I'll try my best to post ASAP (riiiiiight...).

So, thank you for the guys that put this story on their story alerts and/or favorite this story (my email said so), and also, thank you for spending your time on reading this! Even if I have no reviews (but i'm waiting for one to appear xD), it motivates me so.

Hooray for us readers and writers! To the next chapter! Rawr!

P.S. Thank you, even, for reading my A/Ns. I don't know what I'm doing when I write/type the A/N part. -bows- please bear with me. :insert "nothing to do here, move along" meme: xD


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